The Color Green
by Morning Glory Conlon
Summary: Skittery and Olivia never get along, but someone takes it a step in the other direction creating a whole new set of problems.


**The Color Green  
****By Morning Glory**

Spring pushed through the bitter winter air to produce one of the most idyllic spring days a person could ask for. The sun shone bright in the pale blue cloudless sky, and a light breeze swept playfully down the cobble stone streets of New York City. Every window that could be opened in the boarding house was open. The sheets and blankets hung from the head casing airing out from the long winter's nap. It was the kind of day where people were flocking to the streets for a bit of fresh air and a morning stroll. The market was busy today, so was city hall, and the boxing ring, making selling a breeze. It was prefect; nothing could ruin a day like this.

Olivia watched from the corner of her eyes as a girl ran her fingers lightly through his messy brown hair, and gently brushed back a few strands from his eyes. He reached up and took her hand into his with a warm smile on his face. Olivia looked back down at the cards in her hand now, ignoring the cooing coming from the opposite corner of the room. She couldn't help from keeping her eyes from wondering back in that direction, she couldn't stand it.

"Olivia, your call." A voice called out, then once again louder, "Olivia! Your call!" The voice interrupted her interlude.

"That's it!" She tossed the cards roughly down to the table before shoving heavily back, the chair scrapped loudly across the wooden floor. All eyes were on her. Feeling an intense burning in her cheeks Olivia headed straight for the window, only making a quick stop at the night stand to grab a package, containing only two cigarettes. Climbing out onto to the fire escape Olivia ascended up to the roof.

She sunk down onto the roof top, leaning back against the wall edge of the roof, legs crossed at the ankles. She harshly pulled a cigarette from the package, placing it between her lips lighting it and taking a lazy drag, holding it until her lungs ached for fresh air. She dropped her head back against the wall, releasing the smoke she watched the grey smoke swirl up into the cloudless sky, dissipating before it ever reached the cerulean space above her. She didn't understand why the sudden sweep of jealousy had taken over her. It wasn't like she cared for Skittery like that; at least that is what she told herself. They were friends and that's all they would ever be. Besides Skittery had been parading that blonde haired girl around the lodging house all week, it was obvious that they were strictly just friends.

Race sat there befuddled at the sudden outburst from Olivia. He had only wanted to her to make a call or a raise in cards, "Sorry I asked." He exchanged glances with the other boys situated around the table, maybe one of them new why there abrupt explosion.

Skittery looked up from the girl to see Olivia's backside as she headed up to the roof. He didn't know why, but he felt a sudden twinge of guilt for what had just occurred in the bunkroom. Trying to push it to the back of his mind and return his focus to Madison, "I should probably walk you home now." Skittery rose from his bunk where the two were sitting, he extended his hand down to Madison.

"Good idea." Madison replied, placing her hand daintily into Skittery's hand as he helped her to her feet.

"Save me a hand fellows." Skittery called over his shoulder as he offered Madison his arm. It wouldn't take him too long to walk her back to her boarding house, however, how long it took him to say good bye to her was another issue. The two headed out of the bunkroom and outside.

Olivia was enjoying her cigarette; it was peaceful up on the roof by herself. She was drawn out of her tranquility when she heard that annoying giggling again. Pushing herself up from her spot on the roof Olivia looked over the edge. She saw two small people leaving the lodging house, one was that girl Madison and the other was Skittery. Olivia swore to herself that if there had been something non-lethal to throw at Madison, she probably would, though the flower pot sitting on the roof was awful tempting. Liv flicked the last of her cigarette off the roof in the opposite direction of the two as she sunk back down onto the roof top. This was exactly why she went the great lengths to keep people at an arm length. Then it struck her, this was her fault. She never let Skittery close enough to her to make much more of their friendship than just friends. Olivia pulled her knees up to her chest resting her chin on top of them.

Thirty minutes passed before Olivia heard foot steps on the fire escape. She dropped her arms from around her knees, and let out an exasperated sigh. Her peaceful escape would soon be ruined. Olivia glanced over towards the fire escape and saw it was Skittery, "Great." She muttered rising to her feet to leave.

Skittery caught her by the arm gently, "Hey what's going on?" He asked bluntly as he narrowed his eyes, "You've been acting weird lately."

"Nothing you'd understand Skittery." Olivia yanked her arm away from his grip stepping around him, but he placed his hand firmly on her shoulder. Liv swayed backwards a bit caught off guard.

"Talk to me Liv, I thought we were friends?"

Olivia didn't turn around to look at him, "You want to know what's wrong? What's wrong is that you bring that girl Madison around here trying to make me jealous." Liv spun around now grasping the rail for balance, "And…and it works! Because I like you…more then just friends…but it doesn't matter cause I realized we're only going to be friends." Liv snapped at Skittery, she finished her speech feeling embarrassed now. She brushed his hand off her shoulder and rushed down the fire escape to the street below.

Skittery stood on the roof next to the fire escape flabbergasted by the words that had flowed from Olivia's lips. He surely hadn't meant to hurt Olivia like that; his intentions were not to make her jealous either. Well maybe he did want to make her a little jealous; it wasn't like the other guys in the lodging house didn't notice Olivia. At least now he had her attention, but Skittery had figured that Olivia didn't care for him in that way; she was always making sure he knew his place, keeping him as far as she could away from her feelings and emotions.

Skittery stood outside of the Duane Street Newsboy's lodging house with Jack who had just returned to the lodging house, undoubting he had been with Sarah for the better half of the evening. By now the sun had already set, the cool air had settled over the city as it slumbered peacefully. Skittery had originally gone out there to wait for Olivia to return, he wanted to talk to her. However, since Jack was there Skittery found him self talking about his problems with the cowboy.

"Girls are so queer you never know what they mean. They say No when they mean Yes, and drive a man out of his wits for the fun of it." Skittery pushed his dirty inked hand through his hair, as he casually leaned back against the red brick wall of the lodging house. Taking out a cigarette from his shirt pocket to his lips, he then struck a match against the brick. He pulled the gray smoke into his lungs, holding it a moment before gradually letting go.

Jack knew exactly what Skittery was going on about, "Do you like her?" Jack wasn't much for gossip or interested in feelings that others had for each other, but he was annoyed with the tension that the two created in the lodging house all the time.

"Of course I like her!" Skittery answered with a look of puzzlement on his face as he shot up from against the wall.

Jack turned looking towards Skittery, "I'm not askin' about Madison."

Skittery roughly fell back against the brick wall, and then took another drag from his cigarette contemplating what Jack had just said, "I dunno." Skittery half lied, half told the truth. He wasn't sure when it came to Olivia.


End file.
